Anderson localization or nonlinear waves? A matter of probability

Abstract

In linear disordered systems Anderson localization makes any wave packet stay localized for all times. Its fate in nonlinear disordered systems is under intense theoretical debate and experimental study. We resolve this dispute showing that at any small but finite nonlinearity (energy) value there is a finite probability for Anderson localization to break up and propagating nonlinear waves to take over. It increases with nonlinearity (energy) and reaches unity at a certain threshold, determined by the initial wave packet size. Moreover, the spreading probability stays finite also in the limit of infinite packet size at fixed total energy. These results are generalized to higher dimensions as well.

4 pages, 3 figures

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